Infrastructure hit, power disrupted after Russian attack on southern Ukraine

Key questions:

• Russians used drones, Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, and cruise missiles;

• The enemy attacked in multiple waves;

• Power outages were reported in several regions.

How Russia carried out the attack

According to the Air Forces, overnight Russia carried out a massive strike on southern Ukraine. At the start of the new day, strike drones were heading toward Odesa, and around 12:20 a.m., explosions were reported in the city.

Later, missile alerts were issued for several regions. From the Kherson region and the Black Sea, Kalibr cruise missiles were launched, heading toward Odesa, Mykolaiv, and settlements in Odesa region. Explosions were also heard in Dnipro.

In addition, around 1:30 a.m., ballistic missile launches were recorded toward Odesa. Overnight, Russia scrambled MiG-31Ks three times, and after the second launch, the Air Forces reported Kinzhal aeroballistic missile launches. Explosions were then heard in Odesa, Kropyvnytskyi, and Podilsk in Odesa region.

Odesa and region

According to RBC-Ukraine, following the overnight drone and missile attacks, Odesa experienced power and water outages.

DTEK reported that a local network failure caused electricity cuts in certain city districts, including Odeskyi, Peresyp, and Prymorskyi. As of 8:40 a.m., no official information had been released about other consequences of the strikes in Odesa or the region.

However, local media report that about 10 substations were damaged. Due to the massive shelling in the city, Odesa authorities held a general police assembly and deployed additional patrols on the streets.

Mykolaiv

Russian forces struck critical and industrial infrastructure in Mykolaiv region overnight on December 13. The region was attacked with missiles and drones. As of 8:40 a.m., the attack was still ongoing.

Power outages affected settlements in the Bashtanka and Mykolaiv districts. According to Mayor Oleksandr Senkevych, restoration work is underway, and there are no reports of casualties.

Due to electricity disruptions, public transport in Mykolaiv is operating with limitations: only trolleybuses with autonomous power are running, while trams and Dnipro model trolleybuses are temporarily suspended. The distribution of purified water via electric transport is also paused, and passengers are advised to follow route announcements.

Kherson

As a result of the massive Russian strike on energy facilities, part of Kherson region, including the city of Kherson, is without electricity. Power outages have caused disruptions in centralized water supply, and trolleybus service is temporarily suspended.

Specialists are currently assessing the damage and conducting emergency restoration work. Resilience centers have switched to reinforced mode, providing residents with warmth, charging for gadgets, and necessary assistance.

Other regions

In Cherkasy region, air defense forces destroyed 30 Russian drones. There were no casualties, though windows of a residential building in Zolotonosha district were damaged by drone debris.

After midnight, Russian drones also attacked Dnipro, causing a fire in an unoccupied building and damaging or destroying vehicles. No injuries were reported.

In Nikopol, artillery shelling and FPV drone strikes injured two men aged 43 and 67. The older man sustained multiple shrapnel wounds and burns, and his condition is assessed as serious. Both were hospitalized.

Damage was reported to vehicles and a power line, and attacks were recorded in Nikopol as well as in the Marganets, Myrivka, and Pokrovska communities.

Sources: Air Forces of Ukraine, regional military administrations, RBC-Ukraine correspondent reports, DTEK.